Butterflies Alive!

Yay! The butterflies are back at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Vera wore exactly the right hat and outfit for butterfly landings. She was thrilled.

As you enter the museum, they hand you a guide to help identify the butterflies. That little guy on Vera's hat is a Common Buckeye.




Butterfly sex, try explaining that one to a 5-year-old. Actually, J just said they were hugging. :)

Lincoln Presidential Library

After viewing the Reagan Library photos, I had to turn around and dig up the ones from the Lincoln Library. In a contest for cooler library, I think Lincoln might win. He didn't have a plane, but he did have a holographic performance, the facade of the white house, and different displays from Lincoln's life that included animatronic figures.

What strikes me about this picture, how little is Vera? Adorable.




The next two aren't from the museum, but Lincoln's house. I love walking through memory lane! The Illinois trip was so good, right up to the point where everyone got food poison. ;)

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

Our family has a "thing" for presidential libraries. Well, that might be stretching the truth just slightly since we have only been to two, but we want to go to more! I can truthfully say we have talked for months now about visiting the Ronald Reagan Library the next time that my pops came to town. The draw of this library is that it houses Air Force One, not the current one used by Obama, but the retired plane used by seven U.S. Presidents.


Is this a picture of the future?


Or, maybe this one?


Other than the plane, I thought the replica of the Oval Office was darn awesome. You know what would have made it better...if you could have sat behind the desk! That would have been amazing.


We totally stole this idea from the people in front of us.

Sexy!

How did I almost forget this little gem?

J in China

He had only one day to snap all of these photos and the rest of the time was work, work, work. Daddy was gone 7 days in total. The munchkins and I are so glad that he is home safe and sound!

Opa is in Town - Yay!

J has been in China since last Friday and so this past Wednesday Opa arrived to keep us company. Yay for having help with the kiddos for this very tired mama.

The Boys

Mrs. D had the boys on Friday this week and risked life and limb to bake with them. Or, at least a HUGE argument between two very strong willed little boys. She appropriately titled the photos, "Funny Face Baker Boys." My favorite thing about the pictures, they are wearing Home Depot aprons, gotta be manly, even in the kitchen.

Toilet Paper Roll Flowers

I had been collecting both our paper and toilet paper rolls for ages now to try this project. Mother's Day, and J driving up to San Francisco, seemed like the perfect time to have the kids make this craft for J to take to Nonni and Nana.

Butterflies

On Sunday, we had two butterfly themed birthday bonanzas. At the first, I managed to somehow not take many photos, but I was spurred on at our second go around due to the awesome butterfly wings on the kiddos' backs. Hello, they were props just waiting to be photographed, especially on the boys.

Our little friend turned 3 and there were butterflies everywhere! Keller ate the wings of his watermelon specimen above.

Vera had the camera at once and managed to snap this gem. Normally, I would dislike any photo taken of me that looks up at me (hello extremely tall and big woman), but with the preggo belly I don't mind as much.

Seriously, the cutest butterfly you have ever seen. The stripes on the Dude's outfit made me think more bumblebee than anything else though.

Wait, this butterfly is pretty darn cute as well!